10 Ways the League of Women Voters Has Helped Improve Our Country

By: Renee Davidson02/04/2015

This year, the League of Women Voters celebrates its 95th anniversary. Founded by suffragist Carrie Chapman Catt on February 14, 1920 – just six months prior to passage of the 19th Amendment – the League was charged with “finish[ing] the fight” to ensure that every eligible voter has free and fair access to the polls. Ever since, the League has been at the forefront of efforts to empower citizens to play an active role in our democracy.

In honor of 95 years of Making Democracy Work ®, here are 10 ways the League has helped strengthen our democracy and ensure equality throughout the past century.

The Sheppard-Towner Act of 1921, a groundbreaking law providing federal funding for maternity and child care, was the League’s first major success.

In 1952, the League joined NBC and Life magazine in sponsoring the first-ever televised U.S. presidential debate. We served as the official presidential debate sponsor from 1976-1984. Today, Leagues across the country continue to sponsor candidate debates at the state and local levels.

Between 1950 and 1970, the League increased its effectiveness in regard to both public education and advocacy, prompting Senator George Aiken to remark, “Only 135,000 of them? I thought there were millions.”

League members advocating for environmental protection; Jefferson Parish, LA, 1963.

LWVUS President Dr. Carolyn Jefferson-Jenkins (left) at the press conference celebrating the passage of the McCain Feingold bill in 2002.

In 2006, the League launched VOTE411.org, the go-to online resource for voter registration and elections-related information. In 2014, over 1.5 million people used VOTE411.org to find the election information they needed to vote.

VOTE411.org has all the information you need to cast your ballot, including polling place locations, candidate information, voting requirements and more.

Members of the League of Women Voters at the 2014 People’s Climate March, the largest climate rally in history.

The League is one of our country’s oldest and strongest nonpartisan civic organizations. Ninety-five years after the League was founded, we continue to hold fast to the belief that our nation is at its strongest when citizens are engaged with our democracy, from voting rights and voter education to campaign finance reform and environmental defense.

"There will never be a true democracy," said Chapman Catt, "until every responsible...adult in it, without regard to race, sex, color or creed has his or her own...voice in government."

Cheers to that – and to the next 95 years and counting!

The League of Women Voters is celebrating 95 years of Making Democracy Work® at every level of government. In 1920, the League was founded as an outgrowth of the movement that secured women the right to vote to help new voters engage with their government. Today, the League empowers all voters to improve their local, state and national government. Learn more about the League of Women Voters and join our celebration!